On Thursday, November 1, 2012 6:55:30 PM UTC, polygonum wrote:
On 01/11/2012 18:35, charles wrote:

In article ,

Robin wrote:

charles wrote:

In article ,

Robin wrote:

If you must remove it, it is possible to rent tools.



or even hire them



I thought "rent" swung both ways. OED thinks it does. "3. trans. To

pay rent for (land, buildings, etc.); to take possession of, hold,

occupy, or use, by payment of rent. "



I don't consider tools to be "Land, Buildings, etc"



How about trucks which the OED also covers?



"1885 Law Rep.: Queen's Bench Div. 15 316 The truck in question was

rented by the defendant..from the Midland Waggon Company."



And didn't most most of us rent a TV, video or DVD more often than we

hired one?



it was called "Hire Purchase" not "rent purchase"



And that was from Radio Rentals?



I cannot care much which word is used - each of them seems to have

places where it "sounds" appropriate to my ear; and others where it does

not.



But I can't help having a feeling that "rent" is a long-term arrangement

whereas "hire" is short-term.

Unless you use a rent boy or get hire purchase on what was called the never never.

And yet when I try to think if there is

any truth in that, I come up with so many counter-examples I realise how

futile that is.







--

Rod